The present invention relates to a keeper and lock combination for securing a slide fastener and in particular to a keeper-lock combination for the slide fastener of a flexible money bag or the like.
Bank tellers and messengers for other financial institutions regularly carry and transport relatively large amounts of money in flexible money bags having a slide fastener such as the conventional "ZIPPER". For safety sake, the fastener is provided with a device commonly called a keeper, which in combination with a lock prevents the unauthorized opening or manipulation of the slide fastener. For example, reference can be made to U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,950,414 and 3,653,236, which show conventional keeper and locks combinations and the bags on which they are used. The following area also descriptive of the prior art: U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,950,415; 3,070,986; 3,750,431; 4,403,485.
In general, these and other conventional devices for slide fasteners, provide a horizontally oriented keeper and tumbler lock combination, which is pivotally mounted to move in a plane parallel to and above the lacing element of the slide fastener to close over the bail and pull tab of the lacing element, preventing opening of the slide by manipulation or movement of the lacing element. Authorized release of the lacing element is provided by a key operated lock which when actuated swings the keeper in the horizontal plane away from the back thereby freeing the lacing member for manipulation.
Because the keeper is movable in the horizontal plane from the clearance position into the closure position, and is held therein merely by the locking of the tumbler, the the holding of the lacing element can be easily overcome and the keeper caused to move by a horizontally directed force or by being pried from or distorted out of contact with the lacing element. The construction of the conventional keeper-lock combination is, therefore, not as tamper proof as one might expect.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a keeper-lock combination for a slide fastener of greater security than those heretofore known and in particular, one in which the lock mechanism cannot be overcome by forcing the pivoting of the keeper member.
It is a further object to provide a keeper-lock combination of rugged and durable nature, yet with conveniently arranged parts, and particularly one in which the keeper cannot be easily pried open or loosened.
The foregoing objects together with other objects and advantages are set forth in the following description others will be obvious to the reader.